Loan scam: 3 staff of Koraput Co-op Bank quizzed by Vig

Jeypore: Intensifying its probe into the alleged loan scam at Koraput Central Co-operative Bank following a report on OTV a few days back, officials of the Jeypore Vigilance on Sunday questioned three staff of the bank’s Malkangiri branch regarding their role in the financial irregularities.

The three bank employees have been terminated on basis of the findings of departmental inquiry and Vigilance which found that loans were sanctioned on different occasions in the name of fictitious farmers in MV-17 area of Malkangiri district.

Meanwhile, the complainant and Koya Samaj leader Sarat Chandra Buruda expressed unhappiness over the pace of the Vigilance probe and the kind of government action taken after the loan scam was unearthed.

Threatening fresh agitations in coming days if the government does not initiate action in 15 days, Sarat Chandra stated, “Due to political links of the bank staff and management, the vigilance probe is not making any headway.”

He questioned how farm loans worth crores of rupees were sanctioned without keeping details of land record of rights.

He claimed multi-crore loan scams occurred at the bank in Kalimela, Shikapali and Padia of Malkangiri district and demanded a probe into it.